Such a modular valve station, also known as valve island, has been disclosed for example in non-anticipating DE 103 53 295.1. In a modular valve station a plurality of valve blocks are connected one with the other so as to form a structural unit that can be connected to a control line by an electrical main plug (multipole) or a field bus interface, for example. The valve station known from DE 103 53 295.1 comprises valve modules in which data transmission is effected by optoelectronical means. This is an essential advantage, compared with the connection of the valve modules by electrical plug-and-socket connectors which in most of the cases have to meet stringent mechanical tolerances and may easily be damaged, for example by bending of the contacts, or the like. Moreover, such valve stations are very frequently used under critical environmental conditions where electric contacts are undesirable.
Data communication by optoelectronical means between the different valve modules overcomes these disadvantages, avoids mechanical interfaces and, especially, allows very advantageous electrical separation to be realized.
Still, coupling electric data lines, for example to a field bus system, has to be effected, in the case of the valve stations disclosed by DE 103 53 295.1, by plug-and-socket connectors, for example by the before-mentioned electrical main plugs (multipole).
JP 05-180366 A discloses a common control device for actuators that comprises an optical transmitter for converting electrical signals to optical signals. In that case, a transceiver communicates with different valves of a non-modular valve island by optical means via data lines.
Now, it is the object of the present invention to provide a device for coupling electrical data lines to a modular valve station, which does without any electrical plug-and-socket connectors and which can be adapted to the most different electric signal forms.
This object is achieved by a device for coupling electrical data lines to a modular valve station having the features defined in claim 1.